Man gets 10-year jail for sexually assaulting 6-year-old girl
As per the prosecution, the incident took place on May 24, 2014, around 1.30 pm, when the mother of the victim gave her some money to buy sweets. The girl returned home crying and when her mother enquired, she revealed that as she was getting down the accused stopped her and dragged her to his house.
Mumbai: A 36-year-old Chembur resident was sentenced to ten years of imprisonment for sexually assaulting his neighbour – a six-year-old girl – in 2014.
As per the prosecution, the incident took place on May 24, 2014, around 1.30 pm, when the mother of the victim gave her some money to buy sweets. The girl returned home crying and when her mother enquired, she revealed that as she was getting down the accused stopped her and dragged her to his house.
The girl narrated to her mother how the accused removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her. When she started crying, the accused gave her ₹2 and asked her to not disclose anything to anyone.
In her testimony, the woman claimed that after the incident, when her husband went to confront the accused, he threatened him and therefore they did not lodge a police complaint immediately. A few days later the accused stopped the victim’s elder sister and asked her name. The girl immediately informed her parents, who thought that the accused may assault their elder daughter as well and approached the RCF police on May 30, 2014.
Based on their complaint, an FIR was registered and the accused was arrested the same day. He was granted bail in September 2014.
In the trial, public prosecutor Veena Shelar examined 7 witnesses, including the girl child, her elder sister and investigating officers of the case. The medical evidence was lost because of the delay in lodging the case. The special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act) court, however, held that the testimony of the victim was trustworthy and credible enough to hold the accused guilty.
The accused on the other hand contended that he was falsely implicated in the case due to previous quarrels between him and the victim’s father.
The court rejected the defence and observed that the accused had not brought on record any probable evidence to corroborate his claims. “There is no reason to disbelieve the testimony of the victim. The testimony of the victim is trustworthy and inspires the confidence of the court,” added the court.
“It is relevant to mention here that at the time of the incident, the victim was a child of 6 years only. The accused has grown up and such heinous acts cast a lifelong psychological and emotional impact on the victim. At the same time, it is also necessary to mention here that the accused has no criminal antecedents. Considering the above facts in my opinion the minimum punishment, i.e., imprisonment for 10 years and fine under Section 6 of the POCSO Act will meet the ends of justice,” said the court while handing him a 10-year jail term.
